As the restrictions of the pandemic subside and the world slowly returns to normal, Saudi Arabia is ready to once more host a few of the region’s largest events and celebrate the end of 2021 in fashion. Here is a list of the Council’s recommendations for the top five things to do in the Kingdom before the end of the year. Make sure to have your Tawakkalna app available on your smart phone with your vaccination status to attend these events.
Enjoy the Best of EDM at MDLBEAST – “Soundstorm Festival”
Where: Riyadh
When: December 16-19, 2021
Soundstorm is a four-day electronic dance music (EDM) festival held annually in the capital city of Riyadh. In 2019 the festival hosted world-renowned multi-genre artists and attracted over 400,000 attendees. This year’s line-up includes over 150 global and local artists, including names such as Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, David Guetta, Eric Prydz, and many others.
For more information on the festival and its full lineup, please visit https://mdlbeast.com/. Tickets can be purchased from https://tickets.mdlbeast.com/, which include shuttle bus transportation from convenient locations in Riyadh and access to food and retail stalls.
Visit Riyadh Season 2021
Where: Riyadh
When: October 20, 2021 through January 2022
Under the slogan “Imagine More,” Riyadh Season 2021 will launch a series of more than 7,500 concurrent days of events and activities across 14 “zones” of the capital city. The city expects as many as 20 million visitors during its second-ever tourism Season, following 10 million visitors at the previous Season in 2019. Riyadh Season is part of the Saudi Seasons, a tourism initiative launched in 2019 by the government to attract visitors to different parts of the country and to highlight the regional diversity of Saudi Arabia. This year’s Riyadh Season will kick off on October 20 with a lavish parade through the city’s main avenues.
Concerts and Plays
- 70 concerts featuring performers from the Arab world and six international concerts
- 350 theater performances
- 18 Arab plays and six international plays
WWE Crown Jewel 2021
- When: October 21, 2021, 8:00 pm
- Where: King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
- What: WWE matched between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, the fourth in the Crown Jewel series and WWE’s first international pay-per-view event since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Exhibitions and Experiences
- 10 international exhibitions and 100 interactive experiences: visit Riyadh Season’s website or explore each of the Season’s zones to discover everything from paintball, escape rooms, zoos, safaris, pop-up amusement park rides, and much more.
- Riyadh Boulevard: located in an open-air pedestrian mall with an outdoor cinema, upmarket shops, restaurants, food trucks, and a musical fountain, Boulevard Riyadh is one of the biggest zones in this year’s Season, with each of its sub-areas featuring its own set of activities, restaurants, events, and outlets catered to visitors.
Food
- A variety of special offerings at 200 restaurants and 70 cafes, including pop-up restaurants in popular tourist and pedestrian areas of the city, including in the following Zones: Riyadh Boulevard, Via Riyadh, Riyadh Front, AlMuraaba, Al Atheriyah, AlSalam Tree, and Khalooha.
Tickets: entry to four zones is free, while paid entry to the remaining ten zones vary.
For more information on zones, tickets, and specific events, please visit: https://riyadhseason.sa/index-en.html. Scheduled events can also be found at Enjoy Saudi’s website.
Experience a Seven-Night Cruise on the MSC Bellissima
Where: Jeddah
When: October 30, 2021 through March 2022
Starting on October 30, the MSC Bellissima, the largest cruise ship to ever sail the Red Sea, will offer guests a seven-night cruise package to visit prominent archaeological sites, sandy beaches, and ancient cities across the Red Sea.
First stop: homeporting from the city of Jeddah, the cruise will first stop at Ras Al Abyad, a Saudi port city known for its unspoiled sandy beaches, fresh seafood, and prime scuba-diving locations.
Second stop: next up is a stop in Aqaba, Jordan. This port city is a two-hour drive from Petra, one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. Explore the city, interact with the locals, and take photographs of stunning ancient ruins.
Third stop: the cruise will then make its way to the port city of Safaga, Egypt and will offer guests a chance to visit the Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
Final stops: End your cruise with trips to the Saudi coastal cities of Al Wajh and Yanbu before returning to Jeddah.
While on the MSC Bellissima, shop at various boutiques and stores at the Galleria Bellissima, dine at one of 12 restaurants, enjoy a beautiful day by the atmosphere pool, or visit the London Theatre to experience Broadway themed shows.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit: https://msccruisesksa.com/
Spectate the Ladies European Golf Tour at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club
Where: King Abdullah Economic City, Makkah Region
When: November 4-7, 2021
Experience the biggest day in women’s professional sports in the Kingdom and witness over 100 of the world’s top professional golfers compete for the $1 million prize in this leg of the Ladies European Tour. Mega-stars confirmed for the event include Anna Nordqvist, Minjee Lee, Anne Van Dam, Charley Hull, and Georgia Hall.
Royal Greens Golf & Country Club is a premiere golf resort which offers a state-of-the-art golf course, international dining, luxury spa treatment, and a kids’ club for families.
For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit: https://royalgreens.net/
Riyadh International Book Fair
Where: Riyadh Front
When: October 1-10, 2021; 10:00 am to 11:00 pm
The Riyadh International Book Fair, held annually in Riyadh, returns this year with events such as poetry readings, literary seminars, a child’s pavilion, workshops, and many other cultural programs. The fair serves as a platform for companies, institutions, writers, publishers, and professionals involved in literature, publishing, and translation to present their services and publications. Most importantly, it is open to individuals interested in expanding their knowledge and awareness of culture, literature, and art.
For more information, please visit: https://riyadhbookfair.org.sa/